10/31/24 LIES ARE POISONOUS

10/31/24 LIES ARE POISONOUS

Lies can be juicy and appealing, but they are poisonous.

A rose by any other name is just as sweet, but the same is not always true for family names.

GOULD is spelled like Should, Could and Would, but with a G, and it rhymes with ruled.

I have been asked if I am related to Jay Gould, the railroad magnate (an infamous "Robber Baron"), or if I was related to Seabury Gould, the founder of Gould's Pumps. The answer is, NO. At least not in any significant way.

Because of my name, I have often been mistaken for someone else, either because of the same name or a similar sounding name. This happens online and in my own community. A name is a precious possession, but it loses something when it is attached to someone who holds contrary values. Even if all roses smell the same, they are not the same, and some people with the same name smell more than others.

I always wanted to bring honor to my family name. I did not want to shame my father. I think about the notorious outlaw killer, John Wesley Hardin. He brought disrespect to his father's name (a Methodist preacher) and to his namesake, John Wesley (the founder of Methodism).

Sadly, people sometimes bear the disdain of folks with the same name. God, Himself addressed this problem in His Ten Commandments when He commanded people to not take His Name in vain. We see it today when people call themselves CHRISTians, but they choose to live contrary to the nature and will of God.

Though none of us are inherently GOOD, believers are new creatures who are partakers of Divine nature and created in Christ Jesus for the purpose of doing GOOD.

I encourage people to not confuse the evil behavior of one person with another person, based on their name, for instance, "CHRISTian." Remember, God does not judge a person by the deeds of the person's relative; neither should we.

If you have questions about someone, or if you hear destructive gossip, go to the person who is being slandered, otherwise you will become a false accuser: and false accuser is a family name of Satan.

This is especially true when the negativity impacts a local church body. Openness and honesty should, could, and would save reputations, relationships, and ministries.

I hope people will ask me about negative things, which they may hear concerning me. I have lost friends and loved ones because they believed lies about me.